Tailoring Luminescent Solar Concentrators for High‐Performance Flexible Double‐Junction III‐V Photovoltaics

Abstract

Despite the remarkable advantages of luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs), their application has not been of interest in ultrahigh efficient photovoltaic modules such as multi-junctions and related two-terminal tandems due to challenging issues limiting the cell capability and impeding the output current. Here type of multi-junction LSC photovoltaics is presented that consists of transfer-printed arrays of InGaP/GaAs solar cells and strategically tailored luminescent waveguides. A coplanar waveguide with the non-self-aligned quantum dot luminophores enables simultaneous absorptions of the directly illuminated solar flux and the indirectly waveguided LSC flux, where cell deployment and luminophore spectrum are systematically tuned for balanced enhancement of the subcell photocurrents. Through systematic comparisons across various LSC configurations supported by both experimental and theoretical quantifications, the power conversion efficiency of flexible modules with InGaP/GaAs cell arrays is improved from 1.67% to 2.22% by the optimal LSC, where the module area is 14.4 times larger than the total cell area. The details of optical and mechanical studies provide a further comprehensive understanding of the suggested approach toward multi-junction LSC photovoltaics.

Orange/Red Benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene 1,1,5,5-Tetraoxide-Based Emitters for Luminescent Solar Concentrators: Effect of Structures on Fluorescence Properties and Device Performances

“…4 Besides that, they have also been extensively examined for the application in the field of photovoltaics (PVs), thanks to the possibility of coupling them with crystalline silicon solar cells, as well as other PV technologies. 5,6 Indeed, based on their ability to harvest diffuse or indirect light, 7 accompanied by their colorful appearance and light weight, LSCs have been proposed as a potential solution to overcome the traditional limitations of Si-based PV technologies, such as their bulky and heavy structure or the need for direct illumination, and foster their diffusion in the built environment. 8 An LSC is usually made of a sheet of a common plastic material [e.g., poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA] containing a fluorescent dopant, able to absorb sunlight and emit it at longer wavelengths.…”

“…Being capable of decoupling the emission direction from the incident light direction, while simultaneously achieving high concentration gains, they have recently been employed for several different purposes, including lighting, driving of chemical reactions, and optical communication . Besides that, they have also been extensively examined for the application in the field of photovoltaics (PVs), thanks to the possibility of coupling them with crystalline silicon solar cells, as well as other PV technologies. , Indeed, based on their ability to harvest diffuse or indirect light, accompanied by their colorful appearance and light weight, LSCs have been proposed as a potential solution to overcome the traditional limitations of Si-based PV technologies, such as their bulky and heavy structure or the need for direct illumination, and foster their diffusion in the built environment …”